Support
Call us if you have questions about your vehicles protection or need assistance with a claim.
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Vehicle Maintenance Is Important
Understand Your Vehicle
Just as quality service is key to a healthy vehicle, so is education. Understanding how your vehicle works is the first step in maintaining its value and longevity.
Engine Oil
Oil keeps your engine lubricated and reduces heat. Your oil filter helps prevent engine damage by removing contaminants that build up in the oil. Carbon, dirt and debris become suspended in the oil and cause it to lose effectiveness, which leads to increased engine wear and decreased fuel economy. Regular oil and filter changes keep your engine clean and lubricated.
Transmission Fluid
Your transmission transfers energy from the engine to the wheels to get your vehicle moving. Transmission fluid lubricates, cools, and cleans the inside of the transmission while maintaining the necessary pressure inside the transmission, required for it to function properly. Whether your transmission is automatic or manual the transmission fluid will eventually break down. If it isn’t replaced components inside can overheat which will cause transmission failure.
Engine Coolant
Engine coolant, or anti-freeze as it’s commonly known, ensures your engine doesn’t freeze or overheat. Coolant works by removing heat from the engine block, protecting the engine and lubricating the water pump seals. Over time coolant loses its ability to protect vital engine parts.
Differential Fluid
The differential works with the transmission to deliver power from the engine to the axle to rotate the wheels. Like engine oil, heat causes wear on differential fluid, which can lead to excessive wear on the gears and bearings.
Transfer Case Fluid 4-Wheel Drive / All Wheel Drive
The transfer case is the heart of a vehicle’s 4-wheel or all-wheel drive system. It provides power to both the front and rear differential assemblies, which turn your wheels. It also allows you to switch between gears, such as 4High and 4Low. Like engine oil, the fluid that lubricates the transfer case will begin to break down over time and lead to excessive wear on bearings and gears.
Why does my vehicle even need oil?
Did you know that some of the moving parts within your engine never really touch? It is true! They ride on a thin film of oil. One of the main functions of oil is to keep these moving parts separated from each other, preventing damage and wear.
Another important function of oil is cooling. As the oil circulates it carries away some of the heat generated as a result of the combustion process. When your motor oil level is low it will cause the engine temperature to rise. It is important to check your motor oil level frequently to make sure that this doesn't occur.
Did you know that motor oil also plays an important role in helping to keep your engine clean? The oil within your engine is constantly cleaning as it lubricates picking-up and holding dirt, contaminants and other combustion by-products. Think of motor oil like you would think of a sponge. We all know that a sponge has the ability to pick-up and hold fluids, dirt, etc. When a sponge becomes oversaturated it can no longer hold any more fluid. These same attributes apply to your motor oil. When the oil becomes saturated with contaminants, and cannot hold anymore in suspension, the excess falls-out of suspension and can form deposits in the engine, one of which is known as "sludge." Regular oil changes will remove suspended contaminants before "sludge" can form, helping keep your engine running cleaner and smoother.
When do I need an oil change? How do I choose the right type of oil?
You want to get your oil changed before sludge starts to form. Remember, sludge is one of the top enemies of your engine, so you want to take action before sludge takes over. The timing of oil changes can vary depending on the type of vehicle you drive, where you drive, and how you drive. We recommend engine oil and filter changes to be done around 4 months or six thousand kilometers.
What's the difference between Synthetic vs. Conventional Oil?
The myth is that all synthetic oil is purely man-made and not based on oils found in nature. In today's synthetic oils, crude or natural oil is purified and then structurally modified to produce improved performance.
Today's motor oils contain base oils and several additives that are carefully blended together. Synthetic base oils may be made from a variety of chemicals and processes that are designed to have excellent performance at extreme temperatures and operating conditions. Select additives are used to improve flow characteristics and lubricating quality in the harshest of conditions.
Conventional base oils are refined from crude oil. Additives may also be carefully added to conventional base oils to make quality motor oils as well.
While synthetic motor oils can provide exceptional performance and protection, they don't eliminate the need for regular oil changes. High quality synthetic motor oils can perform and protect better than conventional motor oils, but engines running on gasoline or diesel will continue to naturally contaminate and stress the oil, and the additives can only work for so long.
